Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1887-06-08
ETTIQUETTE IN JAPAN.
Customs Prevailing Among this In
teresting People.

There are probably few countries un-
der heaven where etiquette in every
rank Of life has attained such rigidity
as in Japan. Going back but few
years, it is simply appalling TO note the
pains taken by the educated japanese
to s.itfeu out social intercourse with the
most flexible buckram of formalify.
SpoataLeous courtesy was unknown.
and not the commonest action of every
day life, from sneezing to marriage,
from washing to burial, hut was regu-
lated and prearranged in accordance
with rigid code of ceremonialism
which never varied or changed, like the
laws of the PersianS and MedeS. y
japanese of the old school, man, that
is, of the generation now past the mid
die age-was such a stickler for eti-
quette that when he drank u cup OF tea
or tossed off a bowl of saki he appeared
to be as much engaged in ritual per-
formance as when at his devotions in
the temple of his patron divinity. As
regards formal salutations, he practised
some score of them, as falling upon his
knees and knocking his head against the
ground when encountering superior;
until he acquired such suppleness from
constant exercise of this description,
that his body appeared 10 he made of
india-rubber. Some one well described
this characteristic feature of japanese
life by saying that throughout the
whole realm there is constant success
sion of prescribed genuhexions, waves
of obeisance flowing from highest to
lowest, which can only be compared to
the rows Of blocks children set up and
then topple down one after another by
giving just single touch to the first.
Months before he is born, the japanese
even in these days-becoInes the VIC
tim of the existing rule of etiquette,
which compels the mother to wear a
tight red band round her body, in order
TO prevent the unborn child from steal
ing the food from its mothers throat
and so starving her.
As soon as the little one is born the
unlucky mother comes within the grip
of the same cerlmonialism. For nine
days and nights she is wedged in sit
ting position with bags Of rice, and kept
wide awake during the whole of that
time. Then the infant, when month
old, makes his first ceremonial visit to
his relatives, when etiquette requires he
should receive a couple of fans and
bundle of hemp to spin long life. At
the age of seven the boy must receive
garment of honor, and learns the mean
ing of troublesome formality when he
has bestowed upon him new name.
-Four times in the course Of his life
every respectable japanese changes his
name, perplexing piece of etiquette
indeed, first when seven years old, then
when coming Of age, again when receiv-
ing his first official appointment, and
vet again when moved to higher office
or employment. And in the latter case,
if superior in station have by chance
the same designation, custom requires
that the III erior should change It yet
once again. Marriage In such COM
pllcated piece of ceremonialism that
even the Japanese no longer understand
the mystic Specification Of the numer-
ous formallties incident to the celebra-
ton, and the professional assistants at a
wedding are obliged to have number
of necessary memoranda inscribed upon
their fans in order to recOllect the vari-
GUS details and arrangements which
Japanese etiquette prescribes. 1t is sug-
gestive Of the rigidity of social formal
ism in Japan that the language has no
less than eighteen synonyms for the
personal pronoun 81" one for each
class of people, and etiquette makes it
unlawful for a person belonging to one
rank in society to make use of the pro-
noun pertaining to another. So firmly
has Journalism crystalized itself in every
day intercourse.
In 50 far as the gentler sex are con-
cerned, it is not too much to say that 1t
would be a decided gain to civilization
if the example set by the Empress OF
Japan in the matter or Court ceremo-
nial were followed by every lady in that
land. There is not a single feature of
japanese woman-life but appears most
Objectionable; and, like the laws affect
ing women generally, the code of Japan
ese female etiquette requires radical
lewiston. Take that nasty practice OF
6lackening the teeth. the sigh Of mar